Box with integral carrying handle



June 11, 1957 1. CAS-TER .ETAL 2,795,368

BOX WITH INTEGRAL CARRYING HANDLE Filed May 12, 1953 .1L \L v l La /5'-'i i z/ k-l7 g, 351 29 -23 INVENTORS ln/ ng Casfer lrv/ng Fe/dman BOXwrrn INTEGRAL CARRYING HANDLE Irving Caster, San Mateo, and IrvingFeldman,

' i lywov fi tx This invention relates to a handle for a box which isintegral with the box and which also serves to keep the box closed. Theinvention is particularly directed to a box having an integral handleand wherein reinforcing means are provided to make a strong structure.The invention is primarily applicable to boxes of cardboard, but may beapplied to boxes of other materials.

It is highly desirable to provide a box for merchandise which may beeasily carried. In this manner, purchasers are encouraged to carrypurchases rather than having them delivered, which results in aconsiderable saving to the merchant. In the past, a number of boxhandles have been proposed, but ordinarily these handles have added tothe expense of the box and have been detachable. When detachable handlesare used, there is always the possibility that the handle will becomelost and the use of detachable handles requires extra storage space andrecord keeping.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensivehandle for a box which is integral with the box.

Another object of this invention is to provide a box handle which alsoserves to fasten the box in a closed position.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a sheet of blank stock showing the manner inwhich the box of the present invention is cut from a sheet of stock.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a box having the handle of the presentinvention in partially assembled form.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 in which the handle has beencompletely assembled.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 in which the handle has beenassembled and the box closed, showing the ultimate position of thevarious parts.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, similar in part to Figure 1, showinganother embodiment of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, in the blank ofFigure 1, a sheet of box stock is provided which is cut out as shown.Actual cuts are made on solid lines and the box is adapted to be foldedon the dash lines. According to this embodiment, the blank has a bottomportion 7, a top or cover bottom portion 9, end portions 11, and sideclosing portions 13 and 15. The box thus described is largelyconventional in construction and the parts will not be described indetail. The box of the present invention is of the hinged lid type, thehinging action being accomplished by the fold lines-designated 17 and 19and for the exact manner of folding the box, reference is made to ourcopending patent application, Serial No. 332.354, filed January 21,1953.

On the side closing portion 13, a flap 21 is provided which serves as areinforcing means for the handle to be described. The flap 21 has a slot23 cut therein 23a, 23b: and 23c.

,, Patented June 1.95.7

and is provided-with afiap .25. The portion 13 is also. provided with aT-shape cut-out which provides ,a handle portion 27 and,a tab portion29. As shown, the base of the, T remains attachedto the portion 13. Theslot 23 is composedof three straight-line sections designated When theflap 21 is folded under the portion 13 as is hereinafter described indetail, the sec tions 23a and 23b line up with edges from whichthe T hasbeen cut and 23c lies across the portion from which the body of the Thas been cut.

The opposite end of the box 15 is provided with a flap 31 which ishinged along the line 33, and which preferably has small cut-out slots35 at either end thereof. By' cutting the flap as shown, a small flap 32is left on the portion 15.

In assembling the box of the present invention, the box is firstpartially assembled, as is shown in Figure 2, by gluing the end tabs orby fastening them in other suitable manner, as is well-known to thoseskilled in the art. The flap 21 is then folded under the part 13 andpreferably glued thereto, care being taken to not apply glue to parts 27and 29. The tab 25 is then glued to the terminal portion of the handle27. The box may now be folded on the lines 36 for shipment.

In the final assembly of the box, the box is first set up by foldingalong the fold lines 36. The parts 27 and 29 are now partially raised.The end of the handle 29 is then passed through the slot 23. Thiscompletes the assembly of the handle portion and it is now in theposition shown in Figure 3. As is apparent from Figure 3 the handleportion 27 may be pulled up to form a handle, or pushed down to lie flatalong the box.

In closing the box, the side 15 is brought over the side 13, the flap 31is lowered slightly and placed under the handle 27, whereupon the flap31 maybe pushed througt the handle. As the box is completely closed, theflap 32 is depressed and placed under the handle. In this position,which is shown in Figure 4, the handle 27 and the flaps 31 and 32cooperate to hold the box closed.

In Figure 5, another embodiment of the invention is shown wherein thehandle 37 has two cars 39 thereon and wherein the member 21 has twoparallel slots 41 therein. In using this embodiment of the invention,the flap 21 is glued under the portion 13, in the manner previouslydesribed, and the cars 39 are then passed through the slots 41 to formthe handle. It will be noted that in this embodiment, no tab 25 forreinforcing the handle is shown. However, it is apparent to thoseskilled in the art that the tab 25 may be used with the embodiment shownin Figure 5, or that the tab may be omitted from the embodiment shown inFigure 1. This embodiment shown in Figure 5 closes in exactly the samemanner as illustrated in connection with Figure 4 of the drawing.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that we have described ahandle which forms a portion of a box, which is inexpensive tomanufacture, and which serves not only as a handle, but also to hold thebox in a closed position.

We claim:

1. A foldable box provided with inner and outer side panels insuperposed relation, a T-shaped handle cut-out within the boundaries ofthe inner panel attached thereto at the base of the T, a flap integrallyjoined to the edge of said inner panel andfolded thereunder inunderlying relation to said T-shaped cutout, said flap having atransverse slit therein extending in wardly from its free edge andacross said T-shaped cutout adjacent the head portion of the T, the stemof said T passing slidably through said slit with the head pot- 3 tionthereof on the inner side of said flap, and a slot in said outer paneladapted to have the stern of said T bowed outwardly therethrough.

2. A box as defined in claim 1 whereinsaid transverse sllt in said flapterminates in an offset slit portion extending through the free edge ofsaid flap.

3. A box as defined in claim 1 wherein said flap is provided with afolded tab struck therefrom and secured to the base portion of saidhandle cutout, said tab being joined to said flap along a fold linesubstantially coincident Withtbe fold line joining said cutout to saidinner panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSFOREIGN PATENTS Netherlands Feb. 15,

